Hinging apparatus and method for a control cover

ABSTRACT

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a pivoting and sliding member is provided. The pivoting and sliding member includes a housing covering controls for a combustion appliance, a first and second pivot pin attached to the housing in a substantially parallel manner having sufficient strength to permit the housing to pivot and slide about the first and second pivot pins, and an elongated receiving slot configured to receive one of the first or second pivot pins and dimension to permit at least one of the first and second pivot pins to pivot within and slide along the elongated receiving slot. A method of manipulating a control cover on a combustion device is provided.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to hinge mechanisms. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a hinge mechanism thatboth pivots and slides on a control panel cover on a boiler.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Household appliances, particularly appliances that are combustiondevices such as boilers or furnaces, are often controlled withelectronic controllers. Electronic controllers may, in some instances,be sensitive and require protection from external influences. The needfor protection from external influences may be increased due to the factthat household combustion appliances often emit substances such as hotgases or water or vapor, which can damage electronic instruments.

In addition, household appliances may be located in a utility space suchas a closet or basement which again may be subject to dust and otherinfluences that can damage electronic equipment. Therefore, a coverprotecting the electronic equipment from these sorts of influences isdesired.

From time to time, a user of the boiler or maintenance personnel maydesire to access the electronic equipment. Therefore, it is desired thata cover be moveable to selectively expose the electronic equipment atdesired times so that a user may access the equipment. In keeping withthe requirements of permitting selective access to electronic equipment,the cover should be selectively moveable to a covering (or protectingposition) to a noncovering position. It may be desirable to have thecover be able to move to a position where it exposes the electronicequipment yet is also out of the way and does not require a user tocontinue to hold or keep hold of the cover of the electronic equipmentin an exposed position. In other words, move the cover to a stable,out-of-the-way position. By using the word “stable,” what is meant isthat the cover will stay in an out-of-the-way position.

Furthermore, due to the economic realities of the marketplace, it isdesirable that a cover for the electronic equipment be easy tomanufacture and assemble be made of relatively inexpensive materials andbe easily fitted and assembled with associated components of theappliance to which it is associated.

In addition, it may be desirable to be able to secure the cover to thecovering position so that vibrations or other influences do not permitthe cover to be moved and exposed to the sensitive electronic equipment.Some embodiments provide a feature that allows the cover to fasten in aclosed position.

In keeping with the desire to make manufacturing of the cover simple, itwould be useful if the mechanism that keeps the cover in the closedposition be simple. It would be useful if the cover did not requiretight tolerances to ensure the cover will be in a position where whenthe cover is closed, the cover will fasten to a closed position. Itwould be desirable for the cover to be able to be easily moved andmanipulated to fasten when placed in the closed position. Accordingly,it is desirable to provide an apparatus such as a cover that canselectively protect and expose sensitive electronic equipment and also amethod for selectively protecting electronic equipment from externalinfluences.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the presentinvention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus is provided that in someembodiments a cover is provided that can protect sensitive electronicequipment and easily move to a stable out of the way position to exposethe electronic equipment and thereby provide access to the electronicequipment. Some embodiments provide a feature that allows the cover tofasten in a closed position.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a pivotingand sliding member is provided. The pivoting and sliding member includesa housing covering controls for a combustion appliance, a first andsecond pivot pin attached to the housing in a substantially parallelmanner having sufficient strength to permit the housing to pivot andslide about the first and second pivot pins, and an elongated receivingslot configured to receive one of the first or second pivot pins anddimension to permit at least one of the first and second pivot pins topivot within and slide along the elongated receiving slot.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a methodof manipulating a control cover on a combustion device is provided. Themethod includes pivoting and sliding a hinge pin in a slot to move thecontrol cover to a desired position, sliding a fastener in a slot in thecontrol cover to align the fastener with a receiver, and fastening thecontrol cover to a secured position with the fastener communicating withthe receiver wherein the secured position is a position where an openingin the control cover is aligned to prevent a display located under thecontrol cover to be displayed through the hole in the control cover.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, apivoting and sliding member is provided. The pivoting and sliding memberincludes means for housing covering controls for a combustion appliance,means for providing pivoting and sliding motion attached to the housingfor permitting the housing means to pivot and slide, and an elongatedreceiving slot configured to receive the pivoting and sliding means andpermit the pivoting and sliding means to move the elongated receivingslot.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of theinvention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may bebetter understood, and in order that the present contribution to the artmay be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodimentsof the invention that will be described below and which will form thesubject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of theinvention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited in its application to the details of construction and to thearrangements of the components set forth in the following description orillustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments inaddition to those described and of being practiced and carried out invarious ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology andterminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for thepurpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conceptionupon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basisfor the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carryingout the several purposes of the present invention. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the hinge mechanism of a controlcover in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a control cover of FIG. 1. showing the controlcover installed in a boiler.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a electronic control mounting surfacewhich includes a fastener receiver for receiving the cover fastener.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the hinge mechanism of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the cover and the front door of a boiler.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawingfigures, in which like reference numerals refer to like partsthroughout. An embodiment in accordance with the present inventionprovides a cover for electronic control equipment used in householdappliances such as a boiler.

An embodiment of the present inventive apparatus is illustrated inFIG. 1. The cover 10 includes a housing 12. Mounted on the housing 12 isa hinge assembly 14 mounted on either end of the housing 12. The hingeassembly 14 includes hinge pins 16 which are connected to the housing 12by a support arm 18. The hinge pins 16 are oriented so that the hingepins 16 extend outwardly away from each other, as shown in FIG. 1.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the support arm 18 isflexible and permits flexture in a direction of the two support arms 18to move inward toward each other. The flex movement of the support arms18 allows the two hinge pins 16 to be moved toward each othersufficiently to avoid the edges of the slots 62 (see FIG. 4) to permitthe housing 12 to be inserted and removed from the appliance to which itis applied.

Located on the back of the housing 12 are stops 20. The stops 20 definea surface for the housing 12 to rest on when the housing 12 is in araised, or “up” position. The stops 20 may be made of the same ordifferent material as the housing 12.

In some embodiments of the invention, the raised, or “up” positionexposes components of the appliance normally protected by the cover 12.The raised or “up” position is a greater than 90° rotation so that whenthe cover 12 rests on the stops 20 the cover 12 is stable (will not moveunless acted upon by an external force). The stops 20 are mounted to aback surface 22 of the housing 12. Also located on the back surface 22is a spacer bar 24.

A fastener 26 which is in some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 1 isa machine screw, is used to secure the housing 12 in a down orprotective position. The machine screw 26 is configured to mate with acorresponding receiver (discussed more below).

In some embodiments of the invention, a washer 28 is included andlocated on the fastener 26. The machine screw 26 fits in a fastener slot30. Then the washer 28 is placed on the fastener 26 and located on theunderside of the housing 12 opposite the head of the machine screw 26.

In some embodiments of the invention, the slot 30 may be a round hole orit may be elongated which permits the housing 12 to be slid or moved toposition the housing 12, in a desired location without requiring thefastener 26 to also be moved. The fastener slot 30 is located in adimple 32 within the housing 12. The dimple 32 is an optional featurethat may be round or elongated according to the shape of the slot 30.

The housing 12 also includes a display opening 34, which in someembodiments of the invention, permits display features mounted on astructure located beneath the housing 12 to be displayed without thehousing 12 covering those features when the cover 10 is in a down orprotective position.

The housing 12 also includes ventilation slots 36 which permit warm orhot gases located below the housing 12 to be vented through the slots36. These gases are the result of compulsion within the appliance. Theventilation slots 36 are optional and, of course, are not necessarilypresent in embodiments where they are not needed.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of housing 12 located on a boiler 38 accordingto one embodiment of the invention. The stop bar 40, located on theboiler 38, provides a surface for the stops 20 to urge against and holdthe housing 12 in a raised position. The stop bar 40, as shown in FIG.2, is part of the top jacket 42 of the boiler 38. In other embodimentsof the invention, the stop bar 40 may be a separate element.

A space 44 exists between the stop bar 40 and the spacer bar 24 and thestops 20 as illustrated in FIG. 2. In some embodiments of the invention,the space 44 provides relief so that the housing 12 can be rotatedand/or slid along the hinge pin 16 to a raised position. The space 44also permits the cover 10 to be rotated to a position past vertical.Therefore, when the stops 20 are placed against the stop bar 40, thecover 10 will be in a stable, raised position.

The display opening 34 is dimensioned in the housing 12 to permit thecontrol panel 46 to be seen even though the control panel 46 is locatedbeneath the housing 12. In some embodiments of the invention, locationof the fastener slot 30 is chosen so that when the fastener 26 islocated in its receiver, the display opening 34 is properly aligned withthe control panel 46.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the control mount 48 that islocated beneath the housing 12 when the housing 12 is in the downposition as shown in FIG. 2. The down position shown in FIG. 2 is also aprotection position (i.e., while in this position the cover 12 protectssensitive electronic parts).

The control mount 48, in some embodiments of the invention, and asillustrated in FIG. 3, includes a tongue 50 which has a hole 52. Agrommet 54 is located within the hole 52. The grommet 54 and the hole 52provide a receiver to receive the fastener 26 and hold the fastener 26securely. Holding the fastener 26 securely then will cause the housing12 to be held in a secure position. In the embodiments shown in thefigures, the grommet 54 is threaded so that the machine screw 26 isscrewed into the grommet 54 and holds 54 the machine screw 26 securely.

The location of the tongue 50 and the hole 52 and the grommet 54 areselected so that when the housing 12 is located to the lower position asshown in FIG. 2, the display opening 34 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is alignedto permit the control panel 46 to be surrounded by, but substantiallynot covered, by the housing 12. Thus controls located on the controlpanel 46 may be manipulated and displays located on the control panel 46may be viewed when the housing 12 is in the protective (loweredposition).

In some embodiments of the invention, as shown in FIG. 3, the controlpanel 46 includes cutouts 56, 58 and 60. These cutouts 56,58 and 60provide mounting surfaces for control switches, actuators or indicatorsassociated with the boiler 38. The cutouts 46, 58 and 60 are located sothat when the cover 12 is in the lowered position, the cutouts arepositioned within the display opening 34.

In some embodiments of the invention, if some cut-outs are not used,plugs may be inserted into the cut-outs.

Turning now to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a broken side view of the top bar 40illustrated in FIG. 2. The top bar 40 defines an elongated slot 62. Thehinge pin 16 is located in the elongated slot 62. Thus, the hinge pin 16mounted on the support arm 18 can either pivot within the elongated slot62 or slide along the elongated slot 62. The housing 12 can pivot orslide for a combination of both pivot and sliding motion.

One characteristic of some embodiments of the present invention is topermit the cover 12 to move in a both and sliding and pivoting motion toalign the fastener slot, shown in FIG. 1, with the receiver defined bythe tongue 50 hole 52 and grommet 54 in order to permit the fastener 26to be fitted into the grommet 54 and hole 52 to secure the housing 12.

As mentioned, the housing 12 may be equipped with a housing fasteningslot 30 to permit the housing 12 to be moved even when the fastener 26is located in the fastener slot 30 and grommet 54 and hole 52, but notnecessarily tightened all the way down. In some embodiments of theinvention, a desired location is one that permits the display opening 34to display the control panel 46 (see FIG. 3).

In some embodiments of the invention, the cover 10 is installed orremoved from the boiler 38 by installing or removing the hinge pins 16into or from the elongated slot 62.

In some embodiments of the invention, the hinge pin 16 is entered intothe slot 62 or removed from the slot 62 by flexure of the support arms18 toward each other. By flexing the support arms 18 toward each other,the hinge pins 16 are moved toward each other and leave the elongatedslot 62, at which point the cover 12 can be removed provided thefastener 26 is not engaged with the grommet 54 and hole 52.

To replace the hinge pin 16 back into the elongated slot 62, again thesupport arms 18 may be flexed so that the hinge pins 16 are in aposition adjacent to the elongated slot 62. Then the force that isflexing the support arms 18, may be relieved to permit the support arms18 to move back to a biased position which causes the hinge pins 16 tobe inserted back into the elongated slots 62.

In some embodiments of the invention, the housing 12 may be made of asingle material such as a blow molded and/or injection molded plastic,or rubber. In other embodiments of the invention, the housing 12 may bemetal. In other embodiments of the invention, the housing 12 may becomprised of multiple parts assembled together. The descriptions of theway the housing is made or may be constructed is not meant to belimiting and in no way affects the scope of the invention, which isdefined solely by the claims.

One optional feature of some embodiments of the invention is that thehousing 12 is dimensioned so that the housing 12 does not interfere withremoval and replacement of a front door associated with the appliance(often a boiler) to which the housing 12 is associated.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the housing 12 is located on the boiler38. A front door 64 has a top portion 66. The front door 64 is removableand comes off the boiler 38 in the direction shown by arrow A in aconventional manner. In other embodiments of the invention, the door 64may swing on hinges to an open position. A seam 68 is defined by theborder between the cover 12 and the top portion 68 of the front door 64.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cover 12 and top portion 68 of the front door 64are configured so that the movement of the cover 12 to an open positiondoes not require opening of the front door 64. Further, opening thefront door 64 does not require movement or opening of the housing 12.Thus, the operation of the housing 12 and the door 64 do not interferewith each other nor does the operation of one require the operation ofthe other.

The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from thedetailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claimsto cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, sincenumerous modifications and variations will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to theexact construction and operation illustrated and described, andaccordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the invention.

1. A pivoting and sliding member comprising: a housing covering controlsfor a combustion appliance; a first and second pivot pin attached to thehousing in a substantially parallel manner having sufficient strength topermit the housing to pivot and slide about the first and second pivotpins; and an elongated receiving slot configured to receive one of thefirst or second pivot pins and dimensioned to permit at least one of thefirst and second pivot pins to pivot within and slide a substantialalong the elongated receiving slot.
 2. The member of claim 1, furtherwherein the member is a single integral part comprised of a resilientmaterial.
 3. The member of claim 1, wherein the first and second pivotpins are mounted on resilient mounts configured to deform to permit auser to flex the mounts to position the pins in or out of the slot. 4.The member of claim 1, further comprising a stop surface mounted on themember for bearing against a second stop surface for stopping the memberin a raised position.
 5. The member of claim 4, where the stop and thesecond stop are positioned relative to each other so that a positionwere the stop surface and the second stop meet, the member is in astable raised position.
 6. The member of claim 1, further comprising afastener configured to mate with a receiver to secure the member is alowered position.
 7. The member of claim 6, wherein the fastener is ascrew.
 8. The member of claim 7, further comprising a fastener slotlocated in the member and configured to permit the screw to slide alongthe slot to align with the receiver.
 9. The member of claim 8, furthercomprising an opening in the member and positioned in the member topermit a display panel associated with the receiver to be positioned inthe opening when the screw is mated with the receiver.
 10. The member ofclaim 1, further comprising venting slits in the housing on a sideopposite the housing from the first and second pivot pins.
 11. Themember of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to not interferewith operation of a door mounted to an appliance on which the member ismounted and the door does not interfere with operation of the housing.12. A method of manipulating a control cover on a combustion devicecomprising: pivoting and sliding a hinge pin in a slot to move thecontrol cover to a desired position; sliding a fastener in a slot in thecontrol cover to align the fastener with a receiver; and fastening thecontrol cover to a secured position with the fastener communicating withthe receiver wherein the secured position is a position where an openingin the control cover is aligned to permit a display located under thecontrol cover to be displayed through the hole in the control cover. 13.The method of claim 12, further comprising removing the fastener andmoving the control cover to a position to urge against stops located onthe control cover.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the position whenthe control cover urges against the stops is a stable position.
 15. Themethod of claim 12, further comprising venting hot gas through ventslocated in the control cover.
 16. The method of claim 12, furthercomprising flexing a support for a hinge pin located on the controlcover and positing the hinge pin in a slot.
 17. A pivoting and slidingmember comprising: means for housing covering controls for a combustionappliance; means for providing pivoting and sliding motion attached tothe housing for permitting the housing means to pivot and slide; and anelongated receiving slot configured to receive the pivoting and slidingmeans and permit the pivoting and sliding means to move the elongatedreceiving slot.
 18. The member of claim 17, wherein the means forpivoting and sliding is mounted on resilient means for mountingconfigured to deform to permit a user to flex the mounts to position themeans for pivoting and sliding in or out of the slot.
 19. The member ofclaim 17, further comprising a means for stopping mounted one the memberfor stopping the member from moving beyond a predetermined point in aparticular direction.